When to start?

I am anxious to get moving but I don't want to overdo it. I am two weeks postpartum with a third degree tear. I'm healing well and feeling better every day. I've been cleared to go up and down stairs again which has made life a lot easier. I strapped my dd to me and went for a slow hour and a half hike today. It felt great. I can't wait to start being active and working out again. How long after giving birth were you all able to start running or otherwise working out again? Anyone know when it's okay to swim again?

I am anxious to get moving but I don't want to overdo it. I am two weeks postpartum with a third degree tear. I'm healing well and feeling better every day. I've been cleared to go up and down stairs again which has made life a lot easier. I strapped my dd to me and went for a slow hour and a half hike today. It felt great. I can't wait to start being active and working out again. How long after giving birth were you all able to start running or otherwise working out again? Anyone know when it's okay to swim again?

You should wait 6 weeks to swim but if you have been cleared for exercise by you obgyn you can start. You just have to go slow in the beginning and listen to your body. If you exercised all through pregnancy you should be ok to start moderate activity. However with a third degree tear I would advise no heavy lifting or any exercise that makes you bear down. You want that area to healProperly so you don't have anul sphincter problems in future. After surgery in those areas we usually recommend no exercise for 6 weeks.

You should wait 6 weeks to swim but if you have been cleared for exercise by you obgyn you can start. You just have to go slow in the beginning and listen to your body. If you exercised all through pregnancy you should be ok to start moderate activity. However with a third degree tear I would advise no heavy lifting or any exercise that makes you bear down. You want that area to healProperly so you don't have anul sphincter problems in future. After surgery in those areas we usually recommend no exercise for 6 weeks.

All I can say is take it easy. I overdid it the first couple of weeks and then had to step down again for a few. I went back to swimming as soon as the bleeding had completely stopped which was after 4 weeks. I waited to run again until 8 weeks pp, even then I felt lose everywhere and I thought my uterus and bladder where going to fall out. So I would suggest to start slowly and don't get too ambitious. The fitness will all come back in time.

All I can say is take it easy. I overdid it the first couple of weeks and then had to step down again for a few. I went back to swimming as soon as the bleeding had completely stopped which was after 4 weeks. I waited to run again until 8 weeks pp, even then I felt lose everywhere and I thought my uterus and bladder where going to fall out. So I would suggest to start slowly and don't get too ambitious. The fitness will all come back in time.

Absolutely NO crunches!!! All exercises that flex the upper body against the force of gravity dramatically increase intra-abdominal pressure, and when you're postpartum, this strains the mid line as well as the pelvic floor.Do 6-8 sets of Kegel exercises daily. This will increase blood flow to your pelvic floor muscles and help to speed healing.Start abdominal compressions (contractions of the deepest abdominal muscle your Transverse Abdominis, or TvA). When you get good at them, combine your Kegel contractions with abdominal compressions. Do these two exercises daily until you are fully healed: 6 weeks postpartum. Then you can start to add on specialized postpartum exercises that work abdominal compression with pelvic tilts.Walking is also a good choice, but only with your baby in a stroller. The weight of your baby in a front pack will tend to pull your body out of good alignment, thereby increasing the strain on your pelvic floor muscles.Running and other high impact activity should not be resumed until your ligaments have regained their former density and elasticity, at about 6 months pp.No swimming until after your lochia as completely stopped, again at about 6 weeks pp.BeFit-Mom

Absolutely NO crunches!!! All exercises that flex the upper body against the force of gravity dramatically increase intra-abdominal pressure, and when you're postpartum, this strains the mid line as well as the pelvic floor.Do 6-8 sets of Kegel exercises daily. This will increase blood flow to your pelvic floor muscles and help to speed healing.Start abdominal compressions (contractions of the deepest abdominal muscle your Transverse Abdominis, or TvA). When you get good at them, combine your Kegel contractions with abdominal compressions. Do these two exercises daily until you are fully healed: 6 weeks postpartum. Then you can start to add on specialized postpartum exercises that work abdominal compression with pelvic tilts.Walking is also a good choice, but only with your baby in a stroller. The weight of your baby in a front pack will tend to pull your body out of good alignment, thereby increasing the strain on your pelvic floor muscles.Running and other high impact activity should not be resumed until your ligaments have regained their former density and elasticity, at about 6 months pp.No swimming until after your lochia as completely stopped, again at about 6 weeks pp.BeFit-Mom

I think this varies hugely from woman to woman. For me, personally, I was fine to run again three weeks after (a very uncomplicated vaginal) delivery. I started swimming at six weeks pp and doing some light strength training around the same time. I started very slowly and stopped if anything felt weird or uncomfortable. I'm 11 weeks pp right now and feel completely normal and am back to my regular workout routine and training for triathlons. But--I was doing this up until my third trimester as well. So, it is not a new for me and I think my body was fairly accustomed to this type of activity.

I think this varies hugely from woman to woman. For me, personally, I was fine to run again three weeks after (a very uncomplicated vaginal) delivery. I started swimming at six weeks pp and doing some light strength training around the same time. I started very slowly and stopped if anything felt weird or uncomfortable. I'm 11 weeks pp right now and feel completely normal and am back to my regular workout routine and training for triathlons. But--I was doing this up until my third trimester as well. So, it is not a new for me and I think my body was fairly accustomed to this type of activity.

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